


Hot Shot Coffee

by IWrteFicNotTragedies



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Winter, patrochilles - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 12:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5585419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWrteFicNotTragedies/pseuds/IWrteFicNotTragedies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The place was called Hot Shot Coffee and Patroclus found that it lived up to its name the moment he walked through the door, for standing there behind the counter was quite possibly the most attractive person he'd ever seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot Shot Coffee

It started like this: a bitingly cold winter day in January, a small town where gossip moved too quickly and the days dragged on much too long, and a boy with dark skin and even darker hair. It was barely snowing, just enough so that it seemed like dust was floating through the air, and the whole world seemed to be on pause. The only things that moved were the boy, the wind, and all of the things it so seamlessly tossed around.

Patroclus wasn't exactly sure why he was walking through town on a day like this, even if he was wearing around fifty layers plus a hat, scarf, and gloves, but he was. He also wasn't sure how he hadn't ever been to the tiny coffee shop near the end of the street. It seemed like it was the only place in this town that he hadn't been to and that confused him, because Patroclus loved coffee more than just about anything and right now the steamy drink sounded like the most amazing thing in the world, so he was glad that luck had worked in his favor and placed the building right in his path.

The place was called Hot Shot Coffee and Patroclus found that it lived up to its name the moment he walked through the door, for standing there behind the counter was quite possibly the most attractive person he'd ever seen. Patroclus took a moment to freeze in the doorway and catch his breath, the boy was tall, but so was he, and Patroclus estimated that if they stood right in front of each other, their lips would already be perfectly level. That was just a guess though, and there were about a hundred other things that he was perfectly certain of. One of them was that this other boy had the most shockingly green eyes, another was that his hair seemed to be woven from silken threads of pure gold, and one more was that his own feet were already carrying him forward toward that sideways smile and he was helpless to do anything about it.

The boy leaned over the counter on his elbows as Patroclus approached, which did amazing things for his biceps and didn't help the frantic pounding of Patroclus' heart. "Hey," he greeted, tilting his head to the side a little and then standing up straight as Patroclus drew nearer.

Patroclus nodded his greeting and offered the boy in front of him a shy smile, his eyes flicking down to the name tag pinned onto his apron.

"Achilles," he blurted before he could stop himself, and then quickly proceeded to blush madly as the barista rose his eyebrows at him and smirked like he could see right into his head.

"That's my name. . . what's yours?" His words had a laughing lilt to them and he was tilting his head again and smiling almost _flirtatiously,_ except that couldn't be because Patroclus was. . . well, _ordinary_ and Achilles seemed to be everything but that.

He found himself hesitating for a moment, as if his name was something important. Something that could push fate one way or another. "Patroclus," he stated a bit breathlessly, trying to look like he wasn't staring when, in fact, his eyes were taking in as much as possible.

The corners of Achilles' lips twitched upwards. "Pa-tro-clus," he repeated and Pat's eyes widened at how clear and crisp it sounded when he said it. He had to fight down the urge to repeat his name back just so he could attempt to make it sound like Achilles did. Instead, he nodded, allowing his smile to stretch into a grin that Achilles promptly returned.

"So, Patroclus," Achilles said, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the granite and smiling like they were sharing a joke, "what was it you wanted?"

"Oh, um, I-I didn't say," he stuttered.

The barista's eyebrows shot up into the curly bangs hanging over his forehead, "Didn't you?" he asked teasingly.

Patroclus' eyebrows furrowed, he felt like he was missing something. "No. . .?"

"But you did. I asked you when you first walked in and you said, 'Achilles.'"

His smirk alone was enough to get Patroclus blushing again and look of horror passed over his face, "O-oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you."

Achilles frowned, "That's unfortunate, I was really hoping you were hitting on me."

Patroclus' eyes immediately widened, "I am. I mean, I could be. . . I mean, no, that's exactly what I meant." He straightened his shoulders, trying to make himself feel any sense of confidence, "I am."

Achilles bit his lip, he was smiling again, "Good."

Pat found himself staring for a moment. Staring at how full his lips were, staring at the perfect caramel color of his skin, staring at how there were flecks of gold hidden in the green of his eyes, like sunlight breaking through a canopy of leaves, staring at _Achilles,_ and he felt his confidence jump up a few notches because if a guy this gorgeous was interested in _him,_ that had to mean something, right? But as he had that thought, it occurred to him that it was just slightly strange that Achilles would be flirting with him when he probably could have had just about anybody.

"I bet you flirt with everyone who comes in here." He made it sound teasing and light, not like an accusation, so that he wouldn't cause awkward tension if he was wrong, but he could still judge by Achilles' reaction if he was right.

The other boy's lips twitched upwards, like he was amused. "Actually, I do." Patroclus' heart sank, quick and fast, and then clunked against his ribs and tore a hole through his chest, but he forced his expression to stay passive save for the way his eyebrow shot upwards. "It's great for business, I get better tips that way, but. . ." Patroclus started slightly as he reached across the counter and pulled his hand towards him and tugged his glove off, then reached into his apron and pulling out a pen, "I don't usually give customers my number."

Patroclus tried not to blush at the way Achilles held his hand while he printed a set of numbers across the part of his palm just under his thumb, but it wasn't really working in his favor. He took a moment to glance at the phone number before he looked back up at Achilles, who was leaning over the counter conspiratorially. Patroclus leaned closer on instinct and Achilles smiled before whispering, "In fact, those girls sitting over there," He tilted his head to the right slightly and Patroclus glanced over to see three girls sitting at a table, engrossed in conversation with each other and glancing over at them every now and then, "are some of my best customers and they probably won't be coming back now that they know I'm gay."

He blinked in surprise, "You're sacrificing tips for _me?"_

"Looks that way," Achilles replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

"But _why?"_

"Why not?" Achilles asked, and then when Patroclus gave him a blank expression in return, he ammended, "Because I like you."

Pat positively beamed at him, "Let's hope I don't change your mind."

"I don't think you will."

"And what makes you say that?"

"I'd like to think I'm a pretty good judge of character." He winked and Patroclus practically melted on the spot.

"Bye, Achilles," he breathed, backing up a step.

Achilles bit his lip, "Bye, Patroclus."

_Pa-tro-clus_

The dark-haired boy turned and left hurriedly without even thinking about the fact that he hadn't the even ordered a coffee. It didn't matter anyway, though, the feeling stirring in his stomach would be enough to keep him warm the entire walk home.


End file.
